One of my duties every Sunday morning with my church family – whether I preach a full sermon or not – is that I open our service with inspiration (following our first worship song and leading-in to our second worship song), and I also close our service with encouragement.

After about 75 minutes of service the goal is to send out my brothers and sisters into the world on a high note – to encourage each of them to keep the praise, worship, and celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ going through the front doors, into our vehicles, and continuing on in whatever we do and wherever we go. That’s how we bring the church instead of go to the church. If you’re going to church on a Sunday then you’re doing it all wrong. You’re going through the motions. You’re following a religion. If you are the church, and you’re bringing the church with you on a Sunday then you’re glorifying God. That’s not a religion. That’s a way of life. That’s a fantastic journey that started at the point of salvation and continues through the point of resurrection.

I always have an opening and a closing prepared in advance of each service, but my plans are not God’s plans. (I write that with a smile on my face because I have to remind myself of that on a fairly regular basis.)

Today I had this Scripture from Colossians 4 prepared for my closing:

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray that God will give us many opportunities to speak about Christ. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive, so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Well God took me on an impromptu mission at the precise moment that I would’ve recited that Scripture. I essentially went rogue, walked off the stage, welcomed a couple of new faces by name to our church body, and lifted-up in prayer our brothers and sisters (by name) who weren’t present with us. I went straight from that to a few ad-libbed remarks, and then I read one of my longtime Scriptures of Benediction (Psalm 19:14 KJB).

It’s good to be prepared in-season and out-of-season, but when God leads you in a different direction then you must abandon those plans and go with God. He is The Way, The Truth, The Life.

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago (rotating each week). Here it is – for the week ending Sunday February 15TH 2009:

That’s some good rockin’ music right there that I remember from exactly a decade ago – back when I was in the middle of my 3RD year on this fantastic journey. On this particular Sunday morning I attended our 9 AM service, and I served Communion to my brothers and sisters. During our 10:30 AM service I served out in the main lobby.

Here’s what I wrote on my blog on this day 10 years ago:

– The highest level of living is generous living.
– Jesus says, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
– I choose to be generous with my time.
– The Good News says, ‘Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.’
– I choose to be generous with my talent.
– God made us what we are.
– He made us to do good on this Earth.
– I choose to be generous with my testimony.
– I choose to share my fantastic journey with the entire world.
– I choose to tell the story of how I was rescued and saved from the darkness.
– I choose to love and adore God for giving me a second chance at Life.
– I choose to never allow the euphoria of His light to ever dim.

That was the Truth back then, and it is the Truth today !

It’s halftime. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with two more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Share the Good News with all who will listen.

And so – dear brothers and sisters – we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death – Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house – let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, but encourage one another – especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.(Hebrews 10:19-25 NLT)

I am back in the U.S.A., back in South Florida, back at home, back with my church family this morning, and back on social media. My regularly-scheduled Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday blogs are back in business. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, so let’s blog together.

It was a quick turnaround from vacation time for me. Upon receiving a cell phone signal for the first time in 7 days I received a message via Messenger early on Saturday morning (4 AM) asking if I could preach this Sunday. Of course I can !

Preach the Word of God. Be prepared – whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.(2 Timothy 4:2 NLT)

Today I preached a brand new sermon that I wrote in the days and weeks leading-up to my vacation. It’s a sermon all about Communion – its importance, and why we do it.

In remembrance of Him.

I preached mostly from Romans (3:25-26, 5:6-11, 6:11).

We are dead to the power of sin, and alive to God through Christ Jesus.(Romans 6:11),

and because of this connection – this Communion with Christ – we will be spared from God’s wrath on the last day.

When Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world – we will share in all His glory.(Colossians 3:4)

The early church observed and celebrated Jesus by taking Communion – often. They realized that every time they gathered around a table to eat and drink in fellowship – in Communion with each other – it was a time to recognize Jesus, and thank God for all that He has done.

The same is true 2,000 years later. We observe and celebrate Jesus by taking Communion. It’s a time set aside – once a month – for us to pause, reflect, and recognize Jesus corporately – as a connected and united church body in fellowship – and thank God for all that He has done for us.

It’s a glorious and intimate moment in Communion with God. This must never become mundane, or a ritual, or an obligation. This is a celebration of death becoming life – forever.

Yesterday afternoon after I got home from work I sat down at my computer to begin my normal routine. I brought up Twitter to catch-up on the latest tweets, and I glanced over to see what was trending. I saw Sebring over there. For a second I thought it was trending simply because I’ve tweeted a lot recently about Sebring. But then I saw why Sebring was trending. There was a mass shooting at a bank during the busy lunch hour in Sebring where 5 innocent lives were lost. This bank is about a half-mile (within eyesight) from the hotel I stayed at for 3 nights this past Christmas.

I then Googled Sebring Florida to read and see all of the shocking and horrific details of the day. I shed tears, and I lifted-up Sebring Florida in prayer to my Lord & Comforter Jesus Christ.

Sadly the entire nation has now heard of Sebring Florida, and they’ve seen a map of the state to see where it’s located at, as well as photos and videos and live reports of the deadly scene.

I had never heard of Sebring Florida up until just a few years ago. Then I started driving through it over and over again to and from North Florida and beyond. The more I drove through Sebring – the more I admired it from my car. Sebring intrigued me. It piqued my interest. I decided that I needed an extended visit in Sebring to discover and explore the area. That time was this past Christmas. My suspicions were confirmed. I fell in love with the city, its places, and its people. I confirmed that I want to retire there in a few years, and I want to live the rest of my life there. I think I already know where exactly (the specific neighborhood) I wish to live. I also think I know where I wish to work part-time and volunteer (two separate places) – to keep me busy. On my next visit I hope to find a church family there. I can’t wait to get back up there. I’m looking forward to taking-in the sights and sounds of Sebring.

The peaceful and quiet “forgotten” town of Sebring Florida – nowhere near any Interstate highway or expressway – just experienced perhaps its deadliest and most violent day in its 107-year history. I am in deep sorrow alongside my future neighbors – from 180 miles away.

God blesses those who mourn – for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 NLT)

Today I celebrate 12 years as part of a church family. It was a full dozen years ago on this Sunday of January of 2007 (the 21ST that year) that I anxiously and nervously walked in to a movie theatre less than 3 miles from home to attend a church service for a church I had been hearing about on the radio and reading about on the World Wide Web (before Myspace, WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.).

Life Pointe Church in Homestead Florida was my first church family. I was immediately welcomed with love, hugs, and opened arms on that morning. Within 15 minutes I realized that I had a new home on Sunday mornings.

That was my church family for a little over 8 years from January 2007 to March 2015. I left Life Pointe to join another church family a mile down the road, and to resurrect my fantastic journey which had stalled at that point.

I am now a leader at Living Waters Full Gospel Church, a Reverend, and a Licensed Minister. I am a Pastor-In-Training. I am preparing myself for bigger and better things in my not-too-distant future. God’s plans.

But let’s go back to 2006. My salvation began unexpectedly late that summer during the latter part of August of that year. I wasn’t planning it. It just happened. That’s how God works. He had a plan for me, and it was executed magnificently. I was saved for about a month or two before I realized it. I didn’t even know what salvation was all about until He led me to His Word via His music and Scripture on a local Christian radio station.

I’m a firm believer that you can’t fully and effectively believe and follow God unless you are an integral part of a church family. I figured that out during my first 3 months on this fantastic journey. I used the next 2 months after that to find a church family online.

Just as our bodies have many parts, and each part has a special function – so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace – God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy – speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others – serve them well. If you are a teacher – teach well. If your gift is to encourage others – be encouraging. If it is giving – give generously. If God has given you leadership ability – take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others – do it gladly. (Romans 12:4-8 NLT)

Don’t be an orphan on your fantastic journey. Find a church family that will help you grow in Christ. Find a church family that you can walk with, as you move forward at a steady pace towards eternity with God in Heaven.

What an amazing concert experience at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Florida ! Almost 20,000 brothers and sisters in Christ made this the largest church family for a night that I’ve ever been a part of. This was Winter Jam 2019 !

As I walked in to the arena Dan Bremnes was already performing (as part of the preshow). Hollyn officially kicked-off the show at 6 PM, and then after her set was NewSong. They actually created Winter Jam back in the 1990s, and they themselves have been performing together for almost 40 years. They kicked-off their set with “I Am A Christian (And My Name Is Pilgrim)”. I loved this song immediately, and I loved their entire set. They are my kind of band (and older than me too). I’m a new fan of NewSong.

Jen Ledger was up next. She rocked the house with her new spinoff band. She’s been the drummer for Skillet for the past 11 years – since she was 18. Skillet headlined Winter Jam 2018 one year ago this weekend. I was there.

Mandisa was awesome as always. I’ve seen her twice before, and I’m a fan. I sang along to all of her hits. Danny Gokey joined her for “Bleed The Same”, and he was the next artist up. I didn’t realize how many hits he’s had over the past 5 years. He and Mandisa are two of the more successful artists to come out of the “American Idol” franchise; although, mainstream Top 40 radio have largely ignored them. When you sing about our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ your fate is sealed. You won’t get played on mainstream radio. Mainstream television will ignore you too.

After a brief intermission Rend Collective put on a lively Irish set, and everyone was up and dancing. Everyone in the arena turned Irish. (I’m already part Irish.)

Newsboys were the final act of the night, and this was my 3RD Newsboys show in the past 14½ months. I feel like a groupie now. What can I say about Newsboys ? They rocked the house. Nobody was sitting down. Everybody was singing and dancing in the aisles. My Fitbit went crazy during their set. We did church together on this night.

For the 3RD time I saw the original Newsboys perform a crazy psychedelic version of their Christian radio # 1 smash from 25 years ago “Shine”. I had never heard this song until 14½ months ago. I love it.

Shine.
Make ’em wonder whatcha got.
Make ’em wish that they were not.
On the outside looking bored.

Shine.
Let it shine before all men.
Let ’em see good works and then.
Let ’em glorify the Lord.

Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16 NLT)